What does Sake taste like?

And please don't answer "like sake"!

What I mean to say is, is there a western drink that it can be likened to? Is it highly alcoholic and not very nice straight, like vodka, or is it pleasantly drinkable straight?

I want to try sake before going to Japan, but bottles over here only seem to be sold in 70cl volumes, and I don't want to end up buying a whole bottle to find out I don't like it!

It's "rice wine," and dry ones taste quite like white wine. It's something we drink straight, either chilled (for those with dry, delicate flavors) or warmed (for those with round, sturdy flavors). Don't bother trying (a bottle, at least) before you come to Japan - in Japan you can try it by the glass.

personally i think sake tastes nothing at all like white wine.

nihonshu (which most westerners know as "sake") to me tastes almost like sweetened water, with an alcoholic aftertaste to it.

the better the quality of the nihonshu the more like sweetened water it tastes like - it gets very easy to drink when you are talking about expensive nihonshu.

cheap sake can taste awful however with a very strong alcohol flavor.

at any rate though, nihonshu does not burn your throat or mouth like vodka does and doesn't have a very strong flavor like whiskey.

The only way to know what it tastes like to you is to try it. If you don't want to buy a bottle of it go to a sushi place, have some dinner and order some sake.

As others have said it's usually a lighter flavour that doesn't have a strong burning after taste. There are many different kinds that can taste quite different, so bear in mind if you try one type and don't like it, you may find a different brand that suits your taste. I would agree with the above post and visit a Japanese restaurant (if there is one near you)- that way you can order a small amount instead of a whole bottle. Also make sure to try a selection if possible- I've had some equally terrible and delicious ones! :P

I dont think it compares to any western drink.
As others noted, sake ranges from very dry & strong to sweet. It can filtered or unfiltered.
We were in a sakeya in Otaru that let you try 5 type ranging from dry to sweet. Each one had a distint flavor. The best I ever had was a sweet unfiltered sake from Shirokawaga (spelling??). it was simply incredible.

First my condolences and prayers to the Japanese people in their time of trial and sorrow in the aftermath of the earthquake and devastating tsunami that followed. The images are just too terrible to watch. My travels to Japan have been more or less South and West of the affected areas but a natural disaster like this transcends not only national boundaries but international ones as well. Their behavior in the face of this tragedy shows what a brave, proud, civilized and honorable people the Japanese are.

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It is like asking "What does French wine taste like?" Sake can be served warm, room temperature or chilled, depending on the type of sake. I have drunk a small cup of sake from a store front sake maker in Takayama and almost couldn't walk afterward, it was so strong. I got fairly drunk at a cafe in Matsue with a great bunch of people. On the other hand, one can drink several cups of a different sake and not really feel much at all. Depends on the sake. My favorite is from Hokaido but I forget the name- Matsu- something. Best chilled. Absolutely delicious!! I recognize the bottle when I see it. But eating sushi and drinking sake are pleasures I partake of less as I now live in Virginia where the Japanese restaurants are not so good. I have been spoiled.

the cheap stuff tastes to me what I'd expect methylated spirits to taste like (from the smell). It is nearly gag inducing. Some of the more expensive stuff is really pleasant, though I like a nice plum wine much more. I really dont like souchu either.

i agree with Pious.

I love a sweet plum wine, Ume-shu instead! Souchu is not that good...

I've had some sake that tasted like cheese...

i had sake candy. it tasted like the real thing. Not that good, and not sweet either. go to your local asian food store. maybe they have some direct from japan. japanese candies really do taste like the real natural flavors and not so artificial.

I miss wine flavored kit kats...

One of the unique things about sake is how it's often able to blend several different flavors in very unusual ways.

Most premium sake (that's to say, Junmai grade and up also note: you almost never warm premium sake) will actually go through several, sometimes radical changes during a single sip.

i recommend reading the following for more information

http://esake.com/Knowledge/Tasting/tasting.html

Buy it, try it and if you don't like it you can always cook with it.

I like it warmed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn9EICUJUWk